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Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael announces new leadership team

POLICE and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael has announced a new leadership team

New appointments to his leadership team have been announced by the PCC for South Wales, Alun Michael, the former Penarth and Cardiff South MP, following the retirement of assistant commissioner Dave Francis and the impending maternity leave of deputy commissioner Sophie Howe.

Dr John Rose has been appointed as Assistant Commissioner while Jan Pickles is being seconded from NSPCC for six months to fulfil a similar role.

Following a career in industry, John Rose who hails from Treherbert trained as a Youth Worker. After working in Birmingham and London he returned to South Wales to run the Grassroots Youth Project in Cardiff’s City Centre before becoming area youth worker in Ely, Cardiff. Having led the Wales Youth Agency and worked within Welsh Government he has lectured at Cardiff Metropolitan University and has experience in strategic development as well as work with young people.

Currently with the NSPCC’s team in Wales, Jan Pickles has vast experience in public protection, having worked for the Government, Probation Service and within the NHS as well as with NSPCC. Jan was awarded an OBE in 2004 for her work on developing multi agency responses to domestic abuse risk assessment and management across the UK.

Police and crime commissioner Alun Michael said: “Dave Francis brought insight, wisdom and energy to the role and my team benefited enormously from the foundations that Dave has helped to lay down during the past year. The role I have established of assistant commissioner is equal in grade and responsibility to that of deputy commissioner except for the designation set out in legislation. The law only allows the designation of one person as deputy commissioner, and that sits with Sophie Howe, which is why I am now designating both John and Jan as assistant commissioner.

“I am delighted that Dr John Rose has been appointed as assistant commissioner as he will bring a wealth of practical experience and knowledge of young people to the team. That is particularly helpful when a central thrust of our work in the coming year will be to work with partners to cut crime in the 18 to 25 age group – a key aim in South Wales which has been supported by the Home Office through a grant from the Police Improvement Fund.”

Mr Michael added: “Sophie Howe has played a crucial role in driving forward the work between South Wales Police, local authorities and other partners to reduce domestic violence, and will continue to do so. We wish her well during her maternity leave and welcome the deep experience that Jan will bring to the team during this period. The work of Professor Jonathan has shown that a focussed, evidence-based approach can make a real difference and with police and other partners we will make sure that South Wales as a whole is exemplary in reducing the number of victims of violence.

“Next week I will be presenting the revised Police & Crime Plan to the South Wales Police & Crime Panel, so John and Jan are joining my team at an enormously important time.”